*Photo: Paw Paw River Water Trail Facebook Page
Thanks to the commitment of over 17 municipal, tribal and civic organizations, maintenance of the Paw Paw River Water Trail will be able to be funded through 2019.
According to the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, the trail has been able to transition into a local funding model after two years and an appropriation by state legislature.
“Although we have cleared a paddle pathway through log jams on more than 50 miles of river each of the last two years, there has to be annual maintenance every summer to take care of trees that fall over the winter,” said Marcy Hamilton, senior planner at Southwest Michigan Planning Commission. “It is wonderful that so many communities and stakeholders along the Paw Paw River recognize its recreational importance and are willing to commit to yearly maintenance.”
The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission is confident that those who are funding the trail’s maintenance this year will see its importance and continue to fund it annually.
The Paw Paw River runs 66 miles from Maple Lake Dam in Paw Paw, going near or through the communities of Lawrence, Hartford, Watervliet, Coloma, Riverside and Benton Harbor, and has become a popular site for kayaking, paddling and other water activities. The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission urges paddlers to check the official water trail website, found here, to see which sections of the river are appropriate for their skill level, as well as to learn where pathway clearing has occurred. Visitors are also encouraged to report downed trees by contacting the water trail’s Facebook page or by calling the Planning Commission at 269-925-1137 x1521.
